The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has urged Muslims not to “become a tool in the hands of mischievous and dangerous elements who are hell-bent on tarnishing the image of the community.”

Briefing newsmen here, IUML president and Minister of State for Railways E. Ahamed said the IUML national executive which met here had urged partymen and Muslim youth to work for the community and the country and cautioned against falling prey to the “nefarious designs of evil forces who want to disrupt the secular democratic fabric, communal amity and religious harmony of our nation.”

This would be one of the underlying themes of the All India Muslim Youth conference slated to be held at Vellore in three months, said IUML national general secretary and state president K.M. Kader Mohideen.

Expressing anguish over the attempts by some groups who “work as stooges of terrorist outfits, resort to violence and create impediments in the peaceful co-existence of people of different faiths”, the IUML said it dissociated completely from elements and outfits with ulterior motives who resorted to heinous crime and violence and mislead the community.

The IUML has appreciated the welfare measures taken by State government to ameliorate the social and educational conditions of the minorities and backward classes even while rapping the “miserable failure” of the Kerala government on this count and describing the condition of minorities in West Bengal as “pathetic”.

The IUML executive urged the Central government to direct State governments to effectively implement Centrally-sponsored welfare schemes for the minorities.

Condemning the ongoing atrocities on minorities in places like Gujarat, the IUML urged the Centre to take adequate measures to prevent acts of violence by fascist forces.

Reiterating its continuance as part of the UPA government, the IUML however tempered its appreciation of the steady economic progress with a note of concern over the persistence of poverty and unemployment in rural areas.

It urged the Centre to work out effective schemes for poverty alleviation and job generation and called for a multi-faceted agricultural, industrial and commercial plan. Expressing concern over price rise, the IUML sought a better PDS, stronger statutory rationing of foodgrains and deeper market intervention by government to regulate prices of essential commodities.

The IUML demanded the constitution of the Equal Opportunities Commission, empowerment of the Central Ministry of Minority Affairs and steps to streamline Wakf administration and Haj management. It expressed worry over the poor representation of Muslims in Parliament and State legislative Assemblies and sought remedial measures.